Tales of the Wasteland: Mojave Stories: Desert Rangers
by DesertRangersOfMojave
Summary: A squad of Desert Rangers who have been unified into the NCR Ranger Branch of the military venture into a canyon where a nuclear missile had exploded overhead. Two other Ranger squads had recently went into the canyon, but had never came back. The experienced Rangers find that they are fighting unknown enemies of the Mojave.


The squad of seven Desert Rangers looked into the canyon. Of all ten years of being together, the squad of Rangers had never seen something as wretched as this.

The squad was well equipped. The squad commander, Commander Granger, had a peacemaker. Two of the Rangers, Martin and Carlton, were armed with Survivalist rifles. The Rangers Sniper Franklin was armed with a sniper rifle of course. Drayman had a hunting shotgun, Harrington an assault carbine, and Marshal a Brush Rifle.

"So, what shithole is old wait and see sending us into this time?" Asked Drayman as the squad walked into the canyon, "And why is there red dust flying around?"

Commander Granger, at the head of the squad, said to Drayman, "Well, two Ranger platoons went into this canyon, trying to see where it went to, maybe another possible supply route. But neither of them was heard from. So our mission is to find any survivors."

"And the red dust?"

"The red dust is from a nuclear missile exploding over the canyon. It is rumored that there was once a city down here but nobody knows. For three months this is what it has been like, the wind is especially strong down here."

The Rangers continued into the canyon, which seemed to be endless as they walked. The canyon was at least a mile wide, and many miles long. The Rangers spoke few words after they had entered the canyon. They were too worried with watching their surroundings.

Red dust continued to whip around in the wind. The Ranger's dusters waved in the wind.

Suddenly, a shot rang out and hit near Harrington's feet. The Rangers scrambled for cover. Four went to the left near a rock where they had to nearly lay down to be in cover.

The commander and the other two crouched behind a car. "Anyone see where the shot came from?" He looked around at the others for an answer.

"I think it was from that tower over there!" Yelled Drayman. The commander turned around and looked through the back window. He could make out a tower, about ten feet high. There was a slight figure and the commander put his head back down as a bullet flew overhead.

"God damn it! Franklin, try to get a shot. Harrington covering fire on my mark! Martin, Carlton, move up as Harrington lays down fire!" He looked at the rangers. Martin, Carlton, and Harrington were by the rock. Franklin was at the back of the car, nearest the other group. "Harrington now!"

Harrington popped up and fired on the tower alongside Drayman. Franklin tried to line up a shot as Carlton and Martin moved up, still firing on the tower. The commander fired his sidearm at the tower while watching Carlton and Martin.

Franklin was focusing on the figure as it stood up to get another shot. Franklin shot three times into what looked like the chest of the figure and once in the arm. The figure fell and the others stopped firing. "Harrington! Check it out!" Harrington, understanding the commander, jogged over to the tower and climbed up it.

The other Rangers cleared the area and Drayman moved on ahead towards a destroyed building. He looked at it and on a wall, written in what looked like red paint, was the words, "KEEP OUT!"

Drayman grinned under his mask and headed back to the group when a sharp pain went through his stomach. He dropped the shotgun and looked down. A spear had gone through him. He grabbed the spear when another went through his chest. Blood ran down his body and out onto the spears.

"Drayman! Where the hell are ya?" He heard the commander yell.

Drayman tried to yell back, but only a little more over a whisper he spoke, "Over here, I am over here. Come to me, help me." The spears were pulled out one after the other. Drayman fell forward. He tried to crawl back but he couldn't. His shotgun lay next to him, and as he grabbed at it, his fingers were cut off.

He yelped as more pain went through his body. Then he heard the footsteps of more beings coming from ahead of him. When Drayman rolled over on his back, he did so slowly and painfully; whoever had attacked him was gone.

"Drayman!" exclaimed Martin as they reached him, "What the hell happened?"

"Harrington, cover us, Carlton, Franklin check out the building. Marshal, watch the corner closest the road into the city, and Martin, give me a couple of stimpak's!"

Martin quickly pulled out two stimpak's from his pack and Harrington crouched watching all around them. The others rushed to do their assignments.

"It's alright Drayman, we'll fix you up," the commander said, but Drayman was slowly dying and wouldn't last the whole mission.

"Sir, leave me here with… with my gun. I can't go on any further."

The commander looked back and thought about Drayman's decision. He didn't want to, but he said, "Okay Drayman, but you sure as hell better be breathing when we get back!"

Drayman chuckled, "Yes sir. Just give me one stimpak and leave one here." The commander took one stimpak and pushed the needle into Drayman, then pressing down on the syringe, letting the medicine flow into him.

"Okay squad, listen up. We are continuing our mission; we don't have a choice. Marshal, watch our back. The rest of you follow me, keep your eyes open and stay sharp."

The squad headed off into the unknown. After they passed the building, Franklin and Martin met up with the rest of the squad. "Where's Drayman?"

The commander looked at him, "He's staying back, his choice. We'll get him on the way out. Now let's get moving, Franklin on point." Franklin headed to the front of the group with his sniper rifle.

"And commander, I saw a city up ahead, ruined of course."

"The rumored city," the commander said softly.

"What sir?"

"Nothing, lets move."

The Rangers then walked on with one less man. Rubble of the rumored city became visible. As they came closer, a sign was swinging down and it read, "Canyon Springs." The Rangers were on the edge more than ever. Losing Drayman to sniper fire had really put them on edge.

Commander Granger had told them to have their weapons out and to keep a keen eye out as they had almost lost someone to sniper fire already.


End file.
